


Sweet and Sappy

by BlueEyedArcher



Series: Modern AU Vampyr (EMT Geoffrey) [2]
Category: Vampyr (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, First Kiss, Gift Giving, Kitty Ekon Jonathan, M/M, Movie Night, Romantic Fluff, Stuffed Toys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:01:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26869354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueEyedArcher/pseuds/BlueEyedArcher
Summary: “This arrangement was purely out of Geoffrey’s obligation to fulfill his promise to help me. Nothing more.” Despite his rationalization of the situation, that didn’t lessen the crummy hollow pit that forged in the center of his chest, weighing down like a lead ball resting on elastic as it sank slowly into his stomach. He shook the thought from his head as he made his way into his bedroom to collect the package he’d tucked into his closet and out of view.“It’s not necessarily strange to give someone a gift of appreciation.” Jonathan noted. “I saw it and thought of him, that’s reason enough.” He affirmed as he turned the box over in hand.
Relationships: Geoffrey McCullum & Jonathan Reid, Geoffrey McCullum/Jonathan Reid
Series: Modern AU Vampyr (EMT Geoffrey) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1984087
Comments: 10
Kudos: 55





	Sweet and Sappy

**Author's Note:**

> I started this a while ago but just now got around to finishing it. I hope you enjoy! Please leave a comment below. I'm a bit rusty with writing first this fandom after my long break but I'm back at it again. 
> 
> Also, this is part of the same universe as my Thy Vampyrs Squeaketh fanfic.

“You don’t have work this evening, do you?” Jonathan looked up from his newspaper with a perplexed expression creasing his brow. He watched as Geoffrey hastily pulled his boots on by the front door and grabbed for his coat, his keys bit between his teeth and held firmly by the medical cross keychain attached to the apartment fob. Geoffrey’s hair was haphazardly combed back out of his face, a feat thwarted by the downwards tilt of his head that shook the carefully arranged bangs into his eyes and fumbling over his brow. The paramedic frowned and slid his fingers back through his hair to wrangle them back as he wiggled his foot to seat it the rest of the way inside his boot.

“Nah, I got Thursday through Sunday off. Chadana is working tonight.” Geoffrey huffed as he lifted his foot to pry the tongue of his boot out of the way where it folded against his leg. He slipped his coat on and freed his keys from his teeth as he turned to spot Jonathan still seated at the table. His newspaper was seemingly forgotten. “What?”

“I don’t mean your work with the hospital, Geoffrey.” Jonathan elaborated.

He was met with an amused snort. “I ain’t going out killin leeches if that’s what ya mean. I’m just gonna get some breakfast. That food truck by the park is open right now but they’re only gonna be there for the next hour so I’m heading down to get that pork sandwich I like.”

Jonathan’s eyes widened in surprise as he checked the clock on the kitchen wall. It was a quarter after seven. They usually only remained open from five to half past eight. The dinner rush often emptied them out each week, earning a hefty sum for the young owners that ran it. Jonathan recalled the place briefly, he had gone once with Dr. Tippets back when he was human and the truck had just opened their doors for the first time. It had been so long, thinking back now, that he couldn’t even recall what the food tasted like. He mildly remembered that he _liked_ it but his sense of taste had been incredibly distorted when he turned and it would seem his memory of such foods had been altered as well. At least, his brain had been rewired to some extent to take what tasted _pleasant_ and make it sound unappetizing.

“I see. Will you be gone long?” Jonathan adjusted the paper in his hands, a pitiful attempt at looking busy once more. His mind was distracted for the moment as Geoffrey gazed back at him and offered a shrug.

“Not sure. Might pick up a few things. Need anything at the store?”

“No thank you. I believe I have everything.” Jonathan sighed. “Well, actually, now that I think of it. Did you use the last of the detergent?”

“Uhhh, possibly. Might have a tad bit left.” Geoffrey frowned in thought before shaking his head. “I’ll pick some up just in case. If we need it, good, if we don’t then at least we don’t need to get it later.”

Jonathan nodded and flipped the page over to the _Help Wanted_ section. “It’s supposed to rain this evening. There’s an umbrella in the glove compartment if you need it.”

“Aye, thank ya. I’m off. If you need anything else just text me and I’ll get it. If not, I’ll be back in a bit.” Geoffrey stalked towards the door with a wave over his shoulder. Jonathan watched him over the edge of the paper until the door clicked shut and locked solid. He tracked the sound of Geoffrey’s footsteps down the hallway until he was gone. He closed the newspaper with a heavy sigh and folded it up neatly onto the counter. His palms covering his face as he groaned. He peered through his fingers towards the calendar on their refrigerator. It was similar to the one in his bedroom, marked with important dates that reflected the ones on his phone. Though today wasn’t marked on the kitchen calendar, it was on Jonathan’s personal board, a designation for the anniversary he met Geoffrey.

Not only was that the day that Jonathan’s life changed forever but it also brought with it a very important and special addition to it that he never thought he had. Maybe it was some odd requirement that made him feel mildly more human than he actually was, but he had the thought to cherish such change for both its good and bad. It was certainly an experience worth remembering to him and one he hoped would be important enough for the both of them as the beginning to their sort of relationship? Maybe he was thinking too deeply into all this.

“I sound like a fretful school girl pining after some whirlwind love lost over a Summer’s break.” He sighed heavily and pushed himself up to his feet. Jonathan supposed he shouldn’t expect much and yet he always seems to raise the stakes only to get one rammed into his heart time and time again. Sometimes literally. He shuddered at the reminder and shoved the gruesome and violent memory off into the dark little corner of his mind.

“This arrangement was purely out of Geoffrey’s obligation to fulfill his promise to help me. Nothing more.” Despite his rationalization of the situation, that didn’t lessen the crummy hollow pit that forged in the center of his chest, weighing down like a lead ball resting on elastic as it sank slowly into his stomach. He shook the thought from his head as he made his way into his bedroom to collect the package he’d tucked into his closet and out of view.

“It’s not necessarily strange to give someone a gift of appreciation.” Jonathan noted. “I saw it and thought of him, that’s reason enough.” He affirmed as he turned the box over in hand. It was large but light, the tape that kept it sealed had been neatly dissected to reveal the prize within. It was a large plush bat that could be used as both a stuffed animal and also a very soft and plump pillow. Even Jonathan, with his muted senses, could appreciate the item for its softness and pleasant appearance. It wasn’t any different than the stuffed toys Geoffrey kept on his ambulance to give to the children he treats at work. Jonathan had seen them when the EMT would purchase them out of his own pocket, perusing the internet for small and soft items. A few times he had asked Jonathan for his opinion and one evening they spent it searching through manufacturers websites and reminiscing over their own childhood comfort items.

That had been part of the reason why Jonathan had thought of this when he entertained their upcoming anniversary. Geoffrey had once talked about a comfort object he lost somewhere in his youth after he lost his family. He recalled the stuffed animal dog and Geoffrey even had a few pictures of him as a small boy with his older brother Ian sitting beside him. The comfort item had been sitting in his lap or tucked against his chest as he beamed at the camera like all bright eyed little boys often do.

Of course, Geoffrey was no longer a child but Jonathan was also aware of the psychological impact that comfort items have on the recipients. Even grown adults, _especially men_ benefit from the items most as it relieves stress in their environment and promotes healthier coping mechanisms as well as improves decision making and overall emotional welfare.

Jonathan took the item out of the box and brushed the tips of his fingers over the soft body of the bat. It’s wings unfolded to spread out, a fanged smile greeted him from the canine like head. It was incredibly soft and cute if he did say so himself. “Maybe you could do him some good.” Jonathan hummed as he carried the bat back out to their living room, depositing the broken down box by the rubbish bin to be carried out later for their recycling.

“Now I just need to devise a plan on how to give you to him.” That was indeed the true question. Jonathan had second guessed numerous times whether or not Geoffrey would be fond of the gift or mistake it for teasing of some kind. That was not his intention and that hopeful romantic side within Jonathan fretted tirelessly over the possible repercussions.

He placed around the apartment, clutching the odd gift in his grasp as he absentmindedly stroked the soft fur along the wings and head. His thoughts jumped from one idea to the next as he fussed. "Maybe I could- hmmm, or maybe…." His voice trailed with a note of defeat.

Eventually he made up his mind as he sat the bat upon the kitchen table, neatly poised with a carefully scrawled note balancing on its wings. 

_To my dearest Geoffrey_

_For an unforgettable year,_

_I impart my deepest gratitude._

_To many more years to come._

_Yours truly,_

_Jonathan Reid_

  
  


Maybe it was incredibly dramatic on his part but Jonathan was steadily losing his nerve the longer he stared at the gift. He dismissed himself to sit in his room in an attempt to distract himself from fretting too much, and waited eagerly for Geoffrey to return home.

He did eventually find something to occupy his time with, as he navigated his bookshelves and reorganized the contents while he dusted. He watered Lisa, his pet fern that sat perched pristinely by his window, her large leaves soaking up the offered sunlight while he slept. He was proud of the acquisition after having found her abandoned for dead near a dumpster. His undead heart ached for the plant and decided it deserved a second chance at life. It was a choice well made now as he preened over her lavish leaves and their healthy greenery.

Eventually he was sprawled across his bedroom floor flipping through old papers and starting to doze off with his head tucked to rest against his elbow. He was drawn awake by the sound of keys jingling in the apartment door as it swung open and was accompanied by the sound of heavy boot stomps and thickly accented grumbling. The smell of rain blew in with the fresh air that permeated the apartment in the brief moments the door was left open before it was promptly slammed shut and locked.

Jonathan lifted his head to scrub a palm over his eyes and dismiss the tendrils of sleep that threatened to hinder his already precarious schedule. He imparted a yawn that showed off his sharp incisors with impressive flourish and started to collect himself back to his feet when Geoffrey's footsteps quickly approached the bedroom.

"Reid!" Geoffrey called, searching the apartment for the good doctor who instinctively ducked closer to the floor like a startled feline. His head swiveled as he peeked up towards the doorway from the end of his bed and narrowly missed being detected by the quick scan the EMT gave. Geoffrey's eyes were drawn to the tousled raven locks that fell in messy strands across his forehead and the noticeable red splotch on his face where he had buried his cheek against his forearm for nearly an hour.

"Oh. Were you sleeping?" Geoffrey looked a bit more relaxed now, as water dripped from his hair where rain had dampened it and rolled over the speckled shoulders of his shirt. His cheeks were wind battered by the colder air, leaving a red flush in the aftermath.

"I was just resting my eyes." Jonathan assured. "Is something the matter?"

Geoffrey offered a small smile in return, a brief twist of his lips that didn’t fail to be caught by Jonathan even in his bleary unwary state as he palmed his eyes to dismiss the remnants clinging to his vision. There was very little convincing to be done as Geoffrey was well aware of his little cat nap, and it was displayed as much in the brightness of his eyes.

“Was lookin for ya.” Geoffrey grunt. “Noticed something weird sitting on the table.”

“Weird how?” Jonathan frowned in confusion, brows knitted together as Geoffrey proceeded to remove his coat and comb his fingers through his hair sprinkling droplets onto the floor as he started back towards the door with a toss of his head. 

“Like a bleeding heart was left out.” Geoffrey scoffed fondly. “Had half a mind to worry ya left something so sappy and ran off on me.”

It was then that it dawned on Jonathan as to what he meant, causing the doctor to smile sheepishly in return. “What would give you that impression?”

Geoffrey shrugged at that and nodded him towards the doorway. “Com’n.” Jonathan stretched his legs out as he trailed after Geoffrey with a peculiar look in his eyes. He frowned at the EMT with an odd sense of questioning that evolved into curiosity when he spied the paperbag that was perched on the counter beside the bat.

“It’s not as _cute_ as the bat but I think you’ll still enjoy it.” Geoffrey hummed pleasantly as he passed the bag towards Jonathan where he waited somewhat impatiently for him to give the contents a good once over. To Jonathan’s surprise, there were several new dvds inside, each increasingly more sappy and dramatic than the last as he rifled through.

“I know ya can’t really go out to the theatres like you used to and you’ve been too busy with your work to take a proper break and treat yourself so consider this the prime opportunity, Reid. We've got the entire weekend off to watch as many chick flicks as you could dream of.” It was a light hearted jab at Jonathan’s taste in movies, but the pleasure and delight he derived from the promise that Geoffrey was accompanying him for this movie marathon of all the films he had missed out on that year, well, it brought him true joy and was rivaled only by anticipation.

“I’ll make the popcorn?” Jonathan offered before shooing him off as he chided. “You go get changed into something dry before you catch your death.”

“A little rain won’t hurt nothing.” Geoffrey chuckled as he was chased off towards his own bedroom. Jonathan rolled his eyes and inspected the reusable cloth shopping bags Geoffrey left on the counter, sitting beside it was the bottle of detergent and within the bags were snacks, two boxes of popcorn and a few sports drinks that the EMT had taken to guzzling like water. It was a somewhat healthier replacement for the energy drinks he had been previously drinking though Jonathan had a few thoughts on the amount of sugar they contained and whether or not it was better or worse for him considering he lessened the amount of water he was drinking. He sighed almost fondly, aware that of all the people in the world, medical professionals were the worst when it came to their own physical health and wellness. Himself included, that is before his life changing transition into an ekon.

He was thankful that Geoffrey had the time and patience to help him through this difficult time so he could learn to live with this condition instead of being fearful and controlled by it. In fact, he owed far more than he could ever repay, not in a hundred lifetimes and certainly not in this single mortal and fragile life they were bound to.

As he unpacked the groceries, putting Geoffrey's drinks into the refrigerator to chill while a bag of popcorn popped away in the microwave. The Irishman was lured back out into the living room with the enticing promise of salty buttery treats. Jonathan found him standing a bit disheveled, hair haphazardly combed back out of his face with presumably both a comb and then his fingers. A pair of dark sweatpants hung on his hips and a worn grey sweater completed the cozy imagery.

"Sooo what movie should we start with?" Geoffrey inquired as he laid the videos out across the counter with a curious brow raised as he read the back summary of each.

"They're all very enticing." Jonathan hummed, giving them a brief glimpse over as he gestured at two possible options. "These?"

"What are these?" Geoffrey turned them over thoughtfully. One was about a man lost in the wilderness, determined to make his way back to his family. The other was the true story of a soldier finding the love of his life after he returned from the frontlines. The latter was something he could sympathize with, having found an interest in love not long after he himself returned from a two year service on base.

Geoffrey smiled as he set the wilderness one aside and tapped the top. "Supposedly he fights a bear. I wouldn't mind seeing that."

Jonathan chuckled. "Of course you would." He turned towards their microwave as it beeped determinedly at him. The kernels continued to pop a few seconds more before Jonathan shook the bag and split the seam, allowing the steam to filter out before depositing it into their designated popcorn bowl. Which just so happened to be a not so tastefully decorated halloween bowl with a cartoonish Dracula depiction on it. It was humorous when Geoffrey found it on the clearance rack in the store, and Jonathan encouraged his little joke briefly. Little did he know that it would become a tradition between them.

Getting cozy on the couch involved a lot of rustling, the rearrangement of several blankets and throw pillows until they were seated across from one another, legs interwoven and half hanging off the cushions with the popcorn bucket in their laps. Geoffrey acquired his bat plushie which he fondly named _Bruce Wing_ and hunkered down with a wad of napkins and a cold drink.

Jonathan sped through the trailers to get to the menu screen and so began their night long marathon. It didn't exactly last long as halfway through the second movie, Geoffrey was two bowls of popcorn deep before falling asleep tucked up against the back cushions of the couch. His legs stretched out and hanging off as he held the bat plushie against his chest like a substitute pillow. His face was buried into the soft fur with the wings outstretched, soft snoring rising from his chest as the end credits began to roll.

Jonathan smiled softly to himself as he turned the television off and indulged in the rare scene of vulnerability from a man sworn to fend off the horrors of the night. His roguish charm softened at the jagged edges with a childlike simplicity that resurfaced.

Whether Jonathan took a photo of Geoffrey's current position was nobody else's business but his own, as he set it as the lockscreen background of his phone. Distraught by the urge to stretch his legs and walk around, he quelled the desire in lieu of indulging his own fascination and watching the man as he slept so soundly. The Geoffrey he was permitted to see was far removed from the man that their colleagues squabbled with and grumbled at in passing. The stern cold facade of an overworked professional was absent as that unique charm Jonathan had fallen so desperately in love with shone through.

"How much longer ya gonna stare at me?" Geoffrey slurred his words as he started to lift his head, pawing at his eyes as he blinked towards the flustered ekon. He hadn't noticed the subtle change in the Irishman's breathing, swayed by the fantasies of his own thoughts.

"My apologies. I had no intention of waking you." His face softened with a small smile as Geoffrey rolled his neck and stifled a yawn. Stretching his arms behind his head, he was met with a series of creaks and pops from stiff joints that elicited a pleasant groan in return. Jonathan mused as Geoffrey started to peel the blanket back to wiggle his way to freedom from the tangle of limbs they wove their way into on the couch.

"Nah, it wasn't you. Nature calls." He huffed and set the bowl aside on the coffee table and left the bat to sit in his spot. Jonathan cupped his chin and leaned his elbow casually against the back of the couch as his eyes tracked Geoffrey as he made his way around the sofa towards the hallway. He paused beside Jonathan and wiggled his fingers in a _come here_ motion, beckoning him with a look of confusion. Tilting his head up to face the Irishman, Jonathan was startled as Geoffrey dipped his head to capture his lips in a brief kiss. The taste of salt lingered in his lips, teasing the ekon with the faint and fond memories of movie theatres and late movie nights with friends and family in his youth.

The warmth and softness of the man's lips against his left him swooning and lightheaded, chasing that shock with the burning desire to deepen it. It lasted a moment more and lips parted, Geoffrey gave in to the silent request before drawing away all too soon. He retreated to the hallway faster than Jonathan could make sense of the action then proceeded to bury his face in his hands with the rush of puzzlement that only added to his flustered and dizzying whirlwind of questions. To his mortification and mild relief, he caught the breathy chuckle of Geoffrey down the hallway and could make out the quickened pace of his heart, frantically thundering inside his chest with a panic equal to his own. It didn't quell his racing heart any more, but Jonathan relished in the phantom sensation of lips on his and the after taste of a seemingly taboo kiss among colleagues.


End file.
